Date: 05/08/2005
Source: North West Provincial Government
Title: Molewa: Hedgehog's Nest Annual Platinum Function


  Address by North West Premier Edna Molewa at the Hedgehog’s Nest Annual Platinum Function, La Provence, Rustenburg

Programme Director
Hedgehog’s Nest Managing Director, Mr Nick Albert
Councillor Ms Nxumalo representing the Executive Mayor of Rustenburg, Councillor Thabo Mabe
The Commissioner of Police, Commissioner Doroval Govender
Company CEOs, Managers, Directors and All Captains of Industry present
Distinguished Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen

Let me begin by expressing our utmost gratitude, on behalf of the people and the Government of North West Province, for inviting us to this Annual Platinum Function, an event that has become an important date in the calendar of the North West Province’s business activities.

We would also like to express a sense of appreciation to all the business people, corporate and mining giants, as well as leaders in other sectors of society for putting time aside in their hectic schedules so that they can be with us tonight. You are much appreciated.

It is not the first time that I have had the pleasure of being in the ambience of Hedgehog’s Nest, but it is certainly the first time that I have been invited to a function, a lavish dinner that Hedgehog’s Nest throws every year since 2003 in honour of its clients and guests.

We appreciate this goodwill gesture by Hedgehog’s Nest and we are honoured that this year they decided to make the North West Provincial Government part of it. Over the years that they have hosted the Annual Platinum Function, we were beginning to be suspicious that may be there was an elaborate conspiracy to prevent government from rubbing shoulders with the movers and shakers in the province.

I am therefore happy to confirm for myself tonight that there is none of that. In fact, the Managing Director has assured me that over the many years of Hedgehog’s Nest existence, government has formed an important part of its client base, utilising the venue for conferences, fundraising functions, networking sessions and some officials, I am told, have had their wedding ceremonies right here.

All in all, the Hedgehog’s Nest has been one of the exclusive function venues in the North West Province for which we are all proud. Therefore, we are here to wish that it grows further and that it makes the necessary contribution to the growth and development of the economy of the province.

I am probably going to tread on dangerous waters now because I was warned by the Managing Director that this is not a day for political speeches.

Nonetheless, Managing Director, I will not bore you and your guests with a long one tonight, except to remind this gathering and ourselves that August is a very sacrosanct month in the calendar of our young democracy. This is the month in which we remember and honour the renowned women's march to the Union Buildings by the women of this country, black and white, as part of their heroic struggle against apartheid in 1956.

Indeed, 49 years on, we still salute all these unsung heroines past and present who, by their words and deeds, taught us the true meaning of courage, sacrifice and determination in pursuit of the noble goal of equality, freedom and justice for all.

We will remain inspired by their courage and it is them we think of as we enjoin all sectors of our society to make their contribution towards building a humane and peaceful society that respects women and human rights.

Particularly this year, ten years after women of the world met in Beijing, China, under the auspices of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women and reaffirmed their determination to achieve gender equality in all spheres of life, we in South Africa have committed ourselves to increasing the number of women occupying positions of leadership in government, business, the church and indeed in all other spheres of life.

This is the example we are giving to society to emulate and by so doing contribute to the implementation of the resolutions of that important gathering in Beijing ten years ago.

Naturally, our challenges in South Africa may be different from those of the women the world over, but we share with them the common desire for human dignity, women’s rights and the quest for gender equality.

Because of the centrality of women’s empowerment to our democratic government, the unequivocal message we leave with this gathering is to invite you to join us in the month of August in making women the primary benefactors of democracy, freedom and economic stability.

The inevitable question for industry today is what is it that they can do to assist in the empowerment and development of women talent, 11 years after democracy and ten years after Beijing?

While we can never be prescriptive as to how this empowerment must take place in various industries, we nevertheless reiterate that unfortunately, it can never be business as usual, when the majority of our citizens, the mothers of our nation continue to endure the hardships of poverty, unemployment and exclusion from the mainstream of the province’s economic life.

That is the message I carry tonight and I hope it is not a hostile message, considering that most industries are rapidly abandoning the “old-boys club” mentality and fast shedding the image of a male-only establishment.

We hope that the clients who utilise Hedgehog’s Nest, those who are here with us and those who are not, will also choose this noble path and join the rest of us as we support “Women Building a South Africa that truly belongs to all”. Indeed, Hedgehog’s Nest itself cannot escape being part of this women empowerment project.

However, as I was warned, this is not a political gathering, but we are here because Hedgehog felt it necessary to give back to its clients the way it did and we are very grateful for it.

We are here also to cement the already existing ties among ourselves as government, business, non-governmental organisations, civil society and workers.

We therefore hope that this gathering has strengthened our belief that building a province and a country that truly belongs to all, is really in the interests of all of us. The first step towards that goal is undoubtedly the empowerment of women, to which we would like to commit the guests and our hosts here tonight. That is all the politics you are going to hear from me and I would like to thank you again for the opportunity you have given us. We would certainly appreciate another chance in future to be part of Hedgehog’s Nest Annual Platinum Function.

I thank you.

Issued by: Office of the Premier, North West Provincial Government
5 August 2005